Support the Police Chaplaincy Service in KenyaTuesday, January 29, 2013

Project Code: 130-01-39

In the year 2009, the Kenyan state introduced a chaplaincy service for the police force. The duties of these chaplains are many. They provide support, advice and encouragement to the members of the police and their families in their often dangerous and stressful work, celebrate religious services, visit the sick and injured members of the force and officiate at funerals for police officers killed in the line of duty. Only recently, world headlines were made when some dozens of Kenyan police lost their lives during an outbreak of violent unrest.

The police chaplains are also called on in the event of serious accidents, natural disasters or violent crimes, whenever there is a need for pastoral support for the victims, eyewitnesses and members of the emergency services. They also seek out and visit the families of those who have fallen victim to accidents or violent crimes, helping to break the news to them and offering counseling and comfort.

In addition, the chaplains organize various events aimed at helping individual police officers to advance their moral, religious and spiritual development. This has a direct and positive effect, encouraging officers to behave responsibly and decently and not to exploit their authority or deny people their help.

In Kenya's central province there are close to 35,000 police officers working, of whom some 2,500 are Catholic. There are five Catholic priests working as police chaplains. But since the police officers concerned are spread across 150 different parishes, it is impossible for the chaplains to be everywhere where they are needed.

Given this situation, when an emergency arises, priests from the relevant parishes will also step in wherever help is needed. Since these priests, who offer their services voluntary, do not receive any payment from the state for their service, they are being helped instead by the benefactors of ACN in the form of 200 Mass stipends, so that they can continue to provide this vital service. Will you give to support these priests serving the people in Kenya?

This project is an example of our work. Your donation will be attributed either to this or to another similar project that accords with the pastoral needs that ACN witnesses.